The Science Behind Acupuncture

Special guest Dr. Helene Langevin joins the show today. She is Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine at Harvard and a neuroendocrinologist at the University of Vermont College of Medicine. Her area of focus is analyzing and viewing what occurs to the connective tissue when an acupuncture needle is inserted and stimulated.

Helene Langevin is a neuroendocrinologist at the University of Vermont College of Medicine and Director of the Osher Center for Integrative Medicine Harvard. She is a leading researcher of on how connective tissue responds to acupuncture. Her first published research project in 1999 demonstrated structural changes in the tissue when manipulating the needle. See Picture blow

A) no needle twirling B) Needle twirling

She has found that during needle stimulation there is a binding of connective tissue to the needle. Fibroblast (the cells that build connective tissue like collagen) respond to the needle several cm away from the site. This binding of connective tissue to the needle last for about 30 minutes. Amazingly enough that is about the same time we are taught as acupuncturists to retain the needles. As you can see below, these cells actually increase their body size in response to acupuncture.

The direction of needle twirling also makes a difference in how tissue respond to needling. For example using uni-directional needling techniques, like tonifying or sedating. Compared to bi-directional needling techniques where an acupuncturist would twirl the needles clock and counter clock wise.

Bi-Directional

Uni-Directional

Dr. Helene Langevin is doing research on other modalities that cause tissue to expand. Techniques like massage and yoga. Her findings are suggestive of a possible anti-inflammatory response to these forms of tissue manipulation. Her ultimate goal is to ascertain the best treatment for a patient with pain with the least amount of opioids and NSAIDs as possible.